Hello, Raggedy Man
by Marietta1995
Summary: When I was a little girl, I'd always imagine travelling with the Doctor in his amazing big, blue box. I dreamt about seeing the stars and different planets. And in the end, I did just that. However, times have changed and as I find myself travelling with a younger Doctor, I can't help but wonder if he's the same, or an echo of the Time Lord I fell in love with. Amy/10/11
1. Preface: Goodbye, Raggedy Man

**I have no ownership over Doctor Who, nor will I ever. **

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When I was a little girl, I had an imaginary friend. And when I grew up, he came back. He's called the Doctor. He comes from somewhere else. He's got a box called the TARDIS that's bigger on the inside and can travel anywhere in time and space. I ran away with him and we've been running ever since.

Now, however, we were stuck deep beneath the Earth with a deranged Silurian out for blood.

"Eleven minutes and forty seconds!" I announced glancing down at the stopwatch in my hand.

The Doctor gave a small cheer as he headed up to the room's main controls.

I glanced wistfully at the Time Lord. He looked so determined and cheery, something I hadn't felt for a while now. Not since the Dream Lord incident…

I shook my head as an image of the stout man flashed through my mind.

_Don't think about it. It doesn't matter._

However, when I glanced over at my fiancé standing next to me, the memories came rushing back full force.

I never really loved Rory, not the way he loved me.

He was my best friend, someone I could always depend on when times got rough and people's taunts over my imaginary 'Raggedy Man' became too much. It was only logical that we started dating. But within months, I realized that while I did love him, it was purely platonic. Rory was like the brother I always craved growing up. He treated me kindly, put up with my moods, and always was there to catch me when I fell. But that was it….

Initially, I brushed the suspicions away immediately; even when the Doctor came back into my life.

So when it came time to choose between him and the Doctor, the terrifying truth became evident.

I had fallen in love with the Time Lord.

Thinking back, there was never a specific time it all happened. Maybe it was seeing him conflicted over whom to save on the Starship UK, not wishing anyone to have to suffer. Maybe it was over our first meal of fish fingers and custard. Either way, none of it mattered to me. All I knew was that I loved the bow-tie wearing alien with all my heart.

But he would never love me; that much was obvious when he pushed me away after our adventure with the Weeping Angels.

I was just little Amelia Pond, the girl who waited years and years for her 'Raggedy Doctor' to return.

So when the Dream Lord announced that it was time for me to choose between the different realities, I was conflicted. Did I choose my best friend who loved me with all his heart, or the alien who would never love me back?

Either way, I would lose.

It was then that I hatched a plan. Call it a selfish plan if you will, but it was my way of saving everyone. I looked the Dream Lord straight in the eye and offered him a deal. If he told me which world was real, I would choose Rory over the Doctor.

The stout man was skeptical at first.

But, I was quick to explain my reasoning. If I went with Rory, we would be forced to leave at one point and live a life, leaving the Doctor alone. Then I would be forced to spend the rest of my life without the Doctor. Both parties would be miserable.

The idea gave cheer to the Dream Lord's tantalizing façade. But, he grew wary when he realized that he had no idea if I'd keep my end of the deal. So, I swore on the first thing that came to mind, fish fingers and custard. Maybe a part of my mind recognized that the Dream Lord was a part of the Doctor, as I was unsurprised when he immediately complied. I learned that both worlds were false and that we were in no real danger.

And thus began the lie known as my life.

"But we can't get past Restac's troupes." Rory started, jolting me out of my reverie. Everyone was looking at the Doctor expectantly.

For a moment, I wondered what I had missed.

"I can help with that." A new voice announced warily, causing all of us to turn.

It was the Silurian leader, Eldane.

"Toxic fumigation, an emergency failsafe meant to protect my species from infection. a warning signal to occupy cryo-chambers" he stated gravely. "After that, city-wide fumigation by toxic gas, and then the city shuts down."

The Doctor grew serious, turning to look at a control as I glanced at him, surprised.

"You'd end up killing your own people." I pointed out uncertainly.

Eldane looked at me sadly.

"Only those foolish enough to follow Restac." He reasoned.

The Doctor turned back around.

"Eldane, are you sure about this?" He asked seriously.

The Silurian leader nodded.

"My priority is my race's survival. The Earth isn't ready for us to return yet."

I glanced down at the stopwatch.

"No." The Doctor muttered in agreement.

"Ten minutes Doctor." I called, causing him to light up.

"But maybe it should be."

The Time Lord turned to face all of us.

"So here's the deal, everybody listening." He proclaimed swiftly. "Eldane, you activate shut-down. I'll amend the systems. Set your alarm for a thousand years' time; a thousand years to sort the planet out, to be ready. Pass it on as legend, or prophecy, or religion. Somehow, make it known."

I glanced around at the rest of the group, gazing at the Doctor attentively.

"This planet is to be shared."

"Yeah" Elliot agreed with a small smile. "I get you."

The Doctor snapped and pointed at the little boy, a proud smile covering his face. I checked the stopwatch.

"Nine minutes, seven seconds" I informed him, prompting the alien to head back to the controls.

"Yes!" He crowed glancing up at me as I approached the controls. "Energy pulse: timed, primed, and set. Before we go, energy barricade, I need to cancel it out, quickly."

He aimed his sonic screwdriver at the screen, causing the barricade shown on the monitor to fall.

"Fumigation pre-launching" Eldane announced.

Rory sped up to the controls.

"There's not much time to get us from her to the surface, Doctor." Rory observed, panicked.

I looked back to the stop watch and confirmed his words. There were only eight minutes.

"Aha!" He grinned, "Super squeaky bum time!"

Stained giggles filled the room.

"Get ready to run for your lives." The Doctor informed everyone while turning to Eldane. "Now-"

"But the decontamination process on your friend hasn't started yet." Eldane interrupted.

I watched the man sadly as everyone agreed to leave him behind, Nasreen opting to stay with him. She hadn't said anything yet, but I could see the look in her eyes. It was all very romantic, sending a pang through me as I glanced at the Doctor. My mind struggled to squash down the sadness. It didn't matter. I was just fine travelling with him.

And that would have to be enough.

Now we were all running through the tunnels, searching for the TARDIS. The Doctor had stayed behind to talk with Eldane. I had left reluctantly, knowing that I'd be of more use by getting the rest of the group back to our amazing, blue box.

I lagged behind everyone else, glancing over my shoulder to see if the Doctor was coming.

The sight made me come to a screeching halt.

He still wasn't there.

"Oh, for goodness sake" I muttered, turning on my heel and sprinting back from where I came from.

Honestly, sometimes I think that he was trying to get killed by his own stupidity on purpose.

I arrived moments later to see the Doctor talking to Nasreen.

"Doctor!" I interjected.

"Thank you, Doctor." Nasreen said.

"The pleasure is all mine." He replied giving her a quick hug.

I smiled as I realized that I had been right. She was going to stay. But, one look at my stopwatch stopped that.

Apparently the Doctor was thinking the same, as he immediately began to take off, me by his side.

"Come and look for us!" She shouted behind us.

The Doctor and I stopped, the Doctor giving us his affirmation and myself nodding with a smile.

We took off in the tunnel.

Soon we made it into a more vegetative area as the announcement of toxic fumigation rang throughout the area. Immediately, I noticed that someone else was coming for us as well.

"Other way idiot!" I yelled exasperatedly at Rory, feeling another pang of sadness.

I honestly didn't deserve him.

By the time I made it into the clearing with the TARDIS the Doctor was hurriedly explaining to the others that "Yes, I know it's big."

The Doctor hurriedly explained to Ambrose where the sickbay was located as he ushered her family in the box.

He looked down at the stopwatch in my hand.

"Five minutes and counting." He stated as a bright light caught out eyes.

I felt the blood drain from my face.

It couldn't be…

"Not here." The Doctor breathed, sending shills down my spine. "Not now…"

The Doctor stepped towards the crack on the wall, exactly like the one that had been following us around.

"It's getting wider." He observed faintly.

"The crack on my bedroom wall," I stated, remembering that visit so many years ago.

The Doctor stepped closer to it.

"And the Byzantium." He added. "All through the universe, rips in the continuum. It's some sort of space time cataclysm, an explosion maybe; big enough to put cracks in the universe."

The stopwatch beeped.

"But what?"

"Four minutes, fifty" I warned. "We have to go."

But he didn't listen.

"The Angels laughed when I didn't know. Prisoner Zero knew. Everyone knows, except me."

We were running out of time.

"Doctor, just leave it!" I snapped, getting nervous.

"But where there's an explosion," he started. "There's shrapnel."

The Doctor sped towards the crack, making my heart stop.

"Doctor! Y-you can't put your hand in there!" Rory interjected, voicing my thoughts.

If he got erased…

"Why not?" He questioned, placing a cloth over his hand and reaching into the crack.

I held my breath.

He continued to reach in, letting out a yell as the light grew brighter.

"I've got something!"

"What is it?" I asked nervously, not taking my eyes of the Time Lord.

The Doctor pulled a smoking remnant from the crack out, landing on the dusty floor. He held it up in his hand, all wrapped in his handkerchief and gazing at it in wonder for a moment.

"I don't know."

I breathed out, eyes back on the crack.

That is, until a wheezing caught my attention. I looked to the tunnel entrance to see Restac dragging herself in. The Doctor was still boggled by the shrapnel.

"Doctor!" Rory called, gathering his attention to the lizard woman.

The Doctor ambled to his feet.

"She was there when the gas started." I observed quickly, analyzing her heavy breathing as she struggled to get up from the ground. "She must have been poisoned."

"You!" She shot out, gasping for breath.

The Doctor began to pull out his sonic.

"Okay, get in the TARDIS, both of you." He warned.

But I ignored him. My attention was trained on the gun that was slowly rising. She wouldn't shoot, would she? In all my travels, the Doctor had been the target of many weapons. Sure, he had managed to escape each time. But this situation felt different. A shiver travelled up my spine at the mere sight of the ugly weapon.

I nudged Rory towards the TARDIS, not taking my eyes off her. If this got ugly, I didn't want anything to happen to him. Whether I actually loved him or not, I didn't want him shot. Rory shuffled back uncertainly dragging me with him.

"You did this!" She exclaimed, raising the gun, aiming directly for the Time Lord.

Restac pulled the trigger.

I never remembered tearing away from Rory's tight hold or launching myself into the Doctor. The only thing running through my mind was two simple words.

_Save him._

A flash of red filled the clearing as a shot struck its mark.

My eyes flickered to the Doctor's horror-struck face, only having time to see the raw fear in his eyes as the shot connected with my chest, sending me to the ground with a strangled scream.

I writhed on the dirt covered ground, screaming out in small gasps. My chest felt like it was on fire. Everything else seemed inconsequential. However, when the Doctor yelled out my name, my attention immediately turned to the distraught Time Lord.

The Doctor knelt next to me, inspecting the gun wound with a look of pure sorrow. And at that moment, I understood the look on his face.

I was going to die.

I closed my eyes and sighed, unaware how that would look to the panicked Doctor.

"Amy can you hear me?!" He yelled, his voice wavering.

I only twitched on the ground from the pain as another groan slipped through my lips.

My eyes fluttered open just in time to see the Doctor aim his sonic screwdriver in my face.

"Shut up. I'm not dying. I can't be" I ground out in denial, body still wracked with pain as I swatted the screwdriver away. If I was dying, I didn't want that bloody sound to be the last thing I heard.

The Doctor hushed me, eyes glistening.

"Sh, sh, sh…" He whispered. "Don't talk. It's okay, Amelia Pond. You're okay. You're going to be okay."

But, the look on his face said otherwise.

"Don't lie to me, Raggedy Man." I muttered thickly.

The Doctor turned away towards Restac who had already collapsed, a look of anger evident across his face. I recognized that face. It was the signaling of the Oncoming Storm. I took his hand, squeezing it lightly. The faced me again, eyes sadder than ever before. I didn't want him to see me like this. I didn't want him to see me die.

I glanced over at Rory who still stood to the side, staring at me in shock. It was like he couldn't believe it. But then again, neither did I.

When I was a little girl, I'd always imagine travelling with the Doctor in his amazing big blue box. I dreamt about seeing the stars and different planets. And in the end, I did just that. A small smile quirked on my lips as I drank one last sight of my Raggedy Man. He saved me from my dull life in Leadworth and showed me colors and galaxies and planets beyond my imagination.

And what did I do? I lied and lied again. I lied to the Doctor when I didn't tell him I was getting married in the morning. I lied to Rory when I told him I loved him almost every day. I lied to the Doctor when I told him those terrible words in the Dream Lord's version of Leadworth.

I looked up to his face and made a decision.

To hell with the consequences...

"Doctor." I whispered, voice breaking. "I lied that day. I made a deal with the devil and lied to you both."

A flash of confusion flit across the Doctor's face and I smiled lightly. He'd figure it out one day, when recounting the memories of the little Scottish girl he made wait for oh so long…

"Take care of that lug, will you." I panted, nodding at Rory while cringing as another wave of pain overtook me.

The Doctor nodded wordlessly, a tear falling down his face. I gently wiped the moisture away with a shaking hand.

"Love you… stupid face." I called, glancing at the shell-shocked man to the side.

Rory didn't respond.

With another look at the Doctor's pained face, my idea from earlier cemented in my mind. I really didn't want the pair of them to see me die. Rory wouldn't be able to forget it while the Doctor would constantly blame himself for it. Sure, I would be dead either way. But, if I was gone, the image of my still, cold boy wouldn't be able to haunt them.

An object in my pocket seemed to get heavier with each thought. My eyes widened as I remembered the gift I placed there last minute.

I knew what to do.

The Doctor took my widened eyes as a sign of pain and immediately bent down, kissing my forehead.

I needed them to leave.

"Love… you…" I gasped out each word, ignoring the tingling sensation that was left on my forehead. "Raggedy Man…"

The Doctor covered his eyes with a hand, breath hitching as more tears fell.

"Get out of here." I whispered fiercely. "Now!"

The Doctor hesitated for a moment before obeying, seeing the firm look on my face.

He immediately vaulted over to Rory, pulling him back into the TARDIS.

His stupor faded the moment the doors closed.

"Amy!" I heard him yell through the wooden doors. "Amy!"

I cringed at the pleading tone in his voice, tears filling my eyes.

I didn't bother to wipe them away as struggled into an upright position. Pulling out the watch-like device River had given me on Alfava Metraxis. She'd caught me when the Doctor wasn't paying attention, telling me to use it if I needed to make a quick escape, if all hope was lost.

Looking at the situation I was in now, I believed that time had come.

I could give them this one gift.

"Love you guys." I whispered, fumbling with the controls. I poked and prodded a variety of buttons, waiting for something to occur. But nothing happened.

I frowned, trying to remember if River left any instructions over how to use it when a flash of white light caught my attention.

My focus immediately turned to the crack, which had residual energy pouring from it. I followed the extent of the light, sucking in a sharp breath as I caught sight of the tendrils of light weaving their way around my legs.

I immediately made to move the limbs, but they wouldn't budge an inch.

I fumbled with the buttons quicker as the light reached its way up my body. I remembered what happened to the soldiers. If the light fully enveloped me, I would have no longer existed. However, none of the buttons I pushed worked. I was still in the clearing

The light started stretching farther and farther up my body, intertwining like live snakes. The grinding sound of the TARDIS filled my ears s I watched the TARDIS dematerialize. More tears poured down my face at the sight. I was alone, but that was good.

The Doctor listened to me.

My labored breathing quickened as the lights reached my head. I'd run out of time.

"I'm sorry… Raggedy Man…" I whispered brokenly as my vision began to fade into white.

I couldn't decide which was worse, dying or being erased from all existence.

Maybe it was for the best…

My eyes fluttered shut, hand moving to press one more button in vain.

But immediately, a tingling sensation overtook my body. I gasped at feeling as my head started to pound. The pressure increased more and more until literally, I was ripped out this existence.

…..

I fell to the ground with a sharp crack, noticing nothing but a faint ringing in my ears from the travel. The overwhelming scent of antibacterial disinfectants invaded my nostrils, nearly causing me to gag. I rolled onto my back with a groan, wrenching one eye open at a time. All I saw was white. My eyes flew fully open, looking around. I was in some sort of center…

My eyes focused once again and I noticed something I had overlooked earlier. A man stood near me, looking down with a bright smile on his face.

I ignored him, rolling over onto my hands and knees, ignoring the pain in my chest that accompanied it. The pain was becoming hazy now. I doubted that I had minutes left.

I struggled to my feet, gasping with each movement.

Was I in a hospital?

I let out a strained laugh. It was hardly ironic that I'd die in a place like this.

It was almost normal.

"Hello there." A voice said carefully.

I turned to see the man begin to approach me warily glancing back at a blonde-haired girl who was looking around at the area. I flinched, feeling the edges of my vision start to blur.

"Are you all right?" He asked.

I shook my head and stepped back into what looked like an elevator, gripping the wall as I began to sway. I just wanted to be alone.

It took seconds for my legs to give out.

The man rushed into the elevator as well as I pitched forward, catching me in his arms.

"Hey, hey, hey…" He whispered quickly as he lowered me to the ground, still clutching my shoulders. "It's all right. What's wrong?"

I struggled to keep my eyes open.

"Shot…" I mumbled, feeling the energy drain from my body.

For a second, I began to wonder if there was a heaven, but I forced myself away from that line of thought. I'd find out soon enough.

The man gave me a look over, pausing at the singed hole above my heart. His eyes widened considerably, sympathy flashing in his dark, dark eyes.

"Ward 26!" He shouted, signaling the elevator doors to close.

My gaze drifted to his face as the sound of someone shouting outside the door. He was pretty young, looking to be in his late twenties with a light pallor of skin. His contrasting dark brown hair was messily done, leaving me with the impulse to run my hands through it. I imagined what the hair would look like on the Doctor and smiled at the ridiculousness of it all. Although in my state, it most likely appeared to be a grimace.

The man looked down at my face and I noted that black dots were beginning to appear in my vision.

"What's your name?" he asked softly, glancing down at the vortex manipulator in my hand.

I tried to open my mouth, but nothing was working. I couldn't move a muscle. I gazed up at the fleeting image of the man, seeing his eyes grow with worry. A pang shot through my heart as it reminded me of the Doctor's expression, only on a lesser span.

"Come on, tell me your name." He whispered, still holding me to him. "Can you do that for me?"

I tried to make a sound, shouting "Amy!" in my head as if he could hear it. But nothing happened.

Everything was fading to darkness.

My eyes slowly shut as my senses were cut off. I felt a variety of things in the next few moments. There was an echo of that voice urged me to stay awake, the feel of liquid spraying me from all angles, and even a ghost of wind, blowing across my face.

And then suddenly, I was flying.

I felt myself whisked through the air, bumping to a rhythm as my head lolled from side to side. I heard snippets of voices at this time. They all talked about healing, or something else.

But that wasn't right. I was dying.

"_You're far from dying, young one."_

My eyes snapped open and looked around wildly for the voice. There was the man again, looking at me sadly and speaking sentence after sentence. To my left was a cat-woman. My eyes widened for a moment as I watched her work on my wound. But within seconds, my eyesight wavered, forcing me to close my eyes once again.

Did I imagine the voice?

"_No, you did not."_

I tried to focus on the words, finding the source. But nothing was there.

Then who was it?

"_They call me the Face of Boe."_

My mind raced as I realized the person, cat, or whatever it was, was communicating telepathically.

"_That is correct."_

I only wondered why now.

"_I need to warn you. You are far from home, young one. You will survive this injury. As we speak, Novice Hame is healing you." _

My mind raced. If I survived, shouldn't I work find the Doctor and Rory? But, the moment I thought this, my heart clenched. I doubted that I would be able to go back to that lifestyle, lying to the pair of them over my feelings. But the thought of a life without the Doctor left me feeling strangely empty.

"_As it should… I advise that you tag along with the Doctor."_

All my thoughts froze.

Was he here?

"_Of course, he's the one who found you." _

An image of the brown haired man flew into my mind and I wrenched my eyes open once again, immediately seeking out the man's face.

I roved his features and felt the need to laugh. That wasn't the Doctor; it was an entirely different man.

"_This is a different regeneration."_

Regeneration… I remember the Doctor telling me about that. He warned me in case an adventure went wrong. But it couldn't be….

"_Look at his eyes."_

I complied, glancing at the 'Doctor's' dark eyes and feeling my body freeze up.

It was the same.

Not the eye color of course, but the same emotions stewed behind the visible cheer. The Oncoming Storm was right before my eyes.

I fell into darkness again, feeling myself panic.

Did he know who I was?

That couldn't be. He had asked for my name earlier and I doubted that that Doctor would forget me, or any of his other companions. We couldn't mean that little to him.

"_You're right. This is an earlier version than the man you've net before." _

I wondered how the Face of Boe could know that.

"_You told me, a long, long time ago. This is the regeneration right before he crashed into your front yard when you were a child." _

The flash of the Doctor climbing out of the TARDIS surfaced in my mind. He was just as odd then as he was now. The Face of Boe seemed to agree with my thoughts as a rumbling chuckle echoed through my mind.

"_He definitely is. But, now is not the time. Your treatment is about to be finished and it's important that you know one thing. If the Doctor offers you a spot in the TARDIS, then you should take it no matter what."_

I snorted mentally at the thought of refusing him and his travels.

Of course I would go with him. Although a small part of me wondered if he would still be the same man, or if he would be a stranger.

"_While it is true that the Doctor is physically another man, he is still the same man you know and love. But know this; you cannot force him to take you. Do not force yourself onto the Doctor."_

I let out a bitter laugh in my mind. I learned from that mistake the hard way.

A dark feeling entered my mind at the thought of that night, trying to kiss the Time Lord right after announcing that I was to be married in the morning.

Did I even deserve to travel with him again?

"_Do not doubt yourself, little one. You deserve far more than you believe."_

I smiled inwardly, wondering if he was just saying that.

But, as I waited for the Face of Boe's response, another voice filtered into my head.

"Can you hear me Miss?"

I realized that I was physically hearing someone this time and I opened my eyes once again to see a cat-woman mix staring at me kindly. I focused on the sounds and suddenly all my senses blasted back, full force.

I blinked, a bit disoriented.

"Can you hear me?" The cat repeated.

I shook my head, clearing out all the buzzing and swiftly nodded, looking down to the gun wound. But, nothing was there, only a smooth expanse of skin.

I glanced up at the nurse with wide eyes.

"It's gone." I breathed, looking again. The wound and all the pain had vanished.

"Yes." The nurse agreed. "It was a simple fix."

"How long was I out?" I breathed.

The nurse contemplated.

"Five minutes, I suppose."

My eyes widened in shock.

"That's not right." I muttered, eying the cat-woman.

"No, it's not." A voice murmured in response. "It shouldn't be possible."

I jumped, seeing the man- no, the Doctor standing right next to me.

I had forgotten he was there.

I started to shift into a sitting position, only to be gently pushed back down.

"You need to rest for an hour, Miss." The nurse informed as the Doctor walked away, whipping out a cell phone.

I smiled and lied down, smiling sweetly at the nurse as she walked away. She looked back apprehensively but ultimately returned to her station near a giant face.

Slipping out of bed, I glanced over at the Doctor, who was talking on the phone with someone.

It was time to gather the interest of one particular Time Lord.

* * *

**Hello everyone! I'm back with a new story!**

**Now you may say something to the effect of 'You already have another Doctor Who story in the works! Are you giving up on it?'. The answer to this, my dear readers, is a big fat OF COURSE NOT! There are times when I find myself with writers block on some of my stories and I find it helpful to work on a similar story. So, I'm not giving anything up. Everything will resume. I just wanted to add another story within my regular-ish updates. Hopefully, I'll be able to update this bi-weekly. So no worries. **

**Other than that, feel free to tell me what you think. I've been thinking about this story for a while and am excited to see it out to the end. **

**Lots of Love,**

**Marietta**


	2. New Earth

**I have no ownership over Doctor Who, but hey! Maybe I will one day...**

* * *

I warily watched the Doctor as he wandered off to the other side of the room, talking to someone on his cell phone. I nervously bit the inside of my cheek, trying to come up with a plan to grab his interest. The Face of Boe warned me to not 'push myself onto the Doctor'. And I understood that perfectly. The Doctor didn't like to be pressured; it made him a bit flighty.

I eyed the Doctor with a speculative eye. He was definitely different appearance-wise when you compared him to Raggedy Man. But, I had no clue to how similar the pair was. For all I knew, this version could be a complete opposite from my bow-tie wearing Doctor.

Sighing, I edged my way to the Time Lord, catching the last snippets of his conversation on the phone.

"I better go. I'll see you in a minute." He ended, staring intently at one of the patients.

I quickened my pace. It was now or never.

Mustering a content façade, I tapped the Doctor on the shoulder.

The Time Lord spun around, brows furrowing at the sight of me.

I raised an eyebrow, trying to keep a frown from twitching on my lips.

Did he already not like me?

He opened his mouth to say something, but I cut him off.

"What did you mean when you said that my healing time shouldn't have been possible?" I questioned swiftly, inwardly smirking at his stunned face.

"You should be resting." He replied, glancing at a raucous, fat man cheering off to the side.

I bit the inside of my cheek again, my nerves getting the best of me. I needed to hold his attention somehow…

"Time travel!" I blurted, causing the Doctor to flinch.

"What?" He asked, stunned.

I cocked my head to the side, putting a deliberate look of confusion on my face.

"I said, 'something here doesn't feel right.'" I inputted, trying not to break my calm exterior.

The Doctor was facing me fully now, raising a brow in curiosity.

"The medicinal practice they're giving here doesn't match up with the timelines." He stated simply. "It's too advanced."

"So the treatments I received shouldn't have healed me so quickly." I reasoned, trying to work out how the hospital could be so advanced.

The Doctor nodded, a cheeky smile spreading across his face.

"You should have been in recovery for at least a week." He stated. "But everyone's treatments are the same."

I looked at him questioningly.

"Like him!" He pointed out a man with red skin. "Marconi's Disease; it should take years to recover but he's been cured in two days."

I nodded understandingly, biting back another question on the tip of my tongue as a thought struck me.

This regeneration seemed to be a bit cheeky, as if he was used to being the smart leader during investigations. If that were true, my idea was brilliant. After all, Boe was right. I didn't want to push myself onto the flighty time Lord.

"Alright," I responded, eying each patient with a speculative glance. "Thank you for the information. That'll definitely help me."

And with that, I walked off, humming lightly under my breath.

I could feel the Doctor's gaze following my each step. But, the Time Lord didn't speak up until I passed my temporary cot without pausing.

"Wait!" He started. "What do you mean 'help you'?"

I turned, smiling brightly.

"There's something going on here and I have an hour to kill." I drawled nonchalantly. "I might as well investigate."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows.

"You can come along if you like." I smirked.

He only stared, amusement lighting up in his eyes.

"Suit yourself then."

And with that, I continued walking, letting my happy façade drop, as I let out a tired sigh. I really was exhausted from the events of earlier today. After all, I'd nearly died.

I had to admit though, treating the Doctor like he was the companion was a bit thrilling. If all went well, we could run into each other in our investigations and combine forces, which would hopefully lead to him offering me a spot on the TARDIS.

But did I really want that?

It only took a second of consideration realize that I desperately did.

I made my way to the end of the ward, glancing down at my blood-sullied shirt. It was becoming stiff and uncomfortable from the mix of blood and dirt. I glanced to the side and felt my face immediately light up as I spotted generic, white t-shirts piled up in a cabinet.

Checking to see that no one would spot me, I quickly swiped a shirt, sprinting to an empty restroom. Without hesitation, I peeled the jacket and top away from my body, flinging them into a waste bin before pulling the white t-shirt over my head.

That was better.

As I began to exit, I caught sight of my reflection and froze. I looked almost… ill.

My skin was paler than usual, so much that I nearly matched my new t-shirt, while my eyes were far darker. Then my hair… It was still messier and dimmer from lying in the dirt that whole time. I looked over to my tights and although there were tears here and there, there was no major damage.

All in all, it looked as if I just came from a major warzone.

I stared at my reflection for almost a minute, waiting for a feeling of annoyance to overcome me at the sight of my state. But no such emotion came.

I didn't really care anymore.

Before this all happened, I would have fussed over my hair, trying to put it back into order.

Now, I didn't see the point.

The old Amy would have cared, wanting to impress the Doctor. She would have fussed and fussed, thinking only in vanity. In the end, it was only Amy and her happiness that mattered.

But not anymore…

I didn't want to be Amy any more. I wanted to be Amelia. Amelia didn't lie. She never manipulated those around her. The little girl was innocent, kind, and caring in her own gruff way. Amelia didn't hurt her friends like I did by stringing Rory along for so long. Amelia didn't hurt anyone.

I approached the mirror, placing a hesitant hand on the glass as I touched my reflection's face.

"I'm not her anymore." I whispered. "I don't want to be. My name is Amelia Pond, a girl with the name like a fairytale."

Taking a deep breath, I stepped away, turning my back to my reflection.

I had a hospital to investigate.

I slipped out of the restroom, wandering past a pair of glass doors. A hallway stretched some way down until it stopped at a bright, white room. I started towards it as a severe-looking cat strode out of the room.

She ignored me as I passed, trying to look nonchalant. It was only when she returned to the ward that I could relax, picking up my pace once again.

However, it wasn't a second later when a voice rang through the hallway.

"Oh! It's you."

I spun around to see an eager Doctor tugging along a disgruntled blonde. I tilted my head to the side in thought. Was that his companion? I remembered seeing her picture that day, when the Doctor accidentally gave me access to all visual records of his companions on the TARDIS.

I smiled at the memory.

"Er… Hello." I greeted, lifting my hand in acknowledgement as the pair finally stopped in front of me. "What're you two doing here?"

The Doctor smiled.

"Oh, you know, investigating and such." He spouted out quickly. "Have you found anything yet?"

I shook my head pitifully.

"I was planning on checking out that room over there." I offered.

The blonde spoke up.

"Right!" She started walking off. "Terminal's this way."

I raised an eyebrow at her grumbling demeanor.

"Yes, ma'am." I muttered sarcastically, glancing at the Doctor. "Is that your girlfriend?"

The Doctor looked confused for a moment before spluttering.

"Rose?" He squeaked. "Oh, no. She's just my-er-companion. Except…"

A dark look flickered in the Doctor's eyes.

"She's not quite herself now."

I nodded as we began to follow the blonde down the hallway.

"What's your name then?" I asked after a moment of silence, deciding to humor him.

"The Doctor," He stated simply.

I pretended to look apprehensive.

"Doctor who?" I questioned innocently, trying desperately not to smirk at the gleam in his eyes that appeared at the question.

"Just the Doctor." He managed, as I opened my mouth to fake-protest. "What about you?"

"I'm Am-Amelia Pond." I stumbled over my name as we entered the white room, used to introducing myself as 'Amy.'

But, I wasn't her.

"Amelia Pond!" The Doctor crowed, eyes alight, "Sounds like a fairytale!"

I laughed lightly at the statement. That's what my Doctor used to say…

We reached the terminal, where Rose was already working.

The Doctor observed the screen, looking at the amount of information that appeared.

"Surgery, nano-dentistry, no sign of a shop…" The Doctor observed out loud. "They should have a shop."

Rose took controls of the panel.

"No, it has to be something else." She pushed. "When I was downstairs, those nurse-cat-nuns were talking about intensive care. Where is it?"

The Doctor watched her looking at the computer, enthusiasm noticeable dimmed.

"Your right, well done." He said simply, observing her intently.

"Why would they hide a whole department?" She asked. "It's got to be out there somewhere. Search the sub-frame."

I stood back and observed the pair carefully as the Doctor started to pull out his sonic screwdriver from his jacket pocket.

"What if the sub-frames locked?" He asked, face serious.

"Try the installation protocol." She said slowly, like she was talking to a child.

I frowned at the blonde.

"Yeah, of course." The Doctor said, sonic-ing the terminal.

It instantly sank into the ground, revealing a doorway.

Rose immediately stepped into the corridor.

"Intensive care…" The Doctor observed lightly. "Certainly looks intensive."

I scrambled to keep up with them. The Doctor noticed my advancing and fell back in step with me.

"What time are you from?" He asked nonchalantly.

I froze.

"How…" I muttered, looking at the Time Lord in shock.

He nodded to the device on my wrist.

"That's a vortex manipulator." He stated simply, grimacing at the small device. "It allows you to travel through time and space. Plus you were looking at the terminal back there like it was an alien itself."

I grinned sheepishly.

"2010." I responded. "It was a bit too advanced for me."

The Doctor nodded thoughtfully.

"How did you get ahold of it? That technology is far in the future for you."

I paused for a moment, trying to think of how to respond.

"I've been travelling around with a friend." I spoke slowly, trying to tell him what happened without lying. "We met another person, someone who travelled in time. She already knew who I was and gave me this."

I waved my hand humorlessly.

"I guess she knew that I'd need it one day."

The Doctor nodded thoughtfully as we rounded a corner in the dark corridor.

"So what do you do?" I asked nonchalantly, curious to see how he would respond.

The Doctor cleared his throat.

"Oh, I'm travelling around as well." He stated offhandedly. "How did you end up here, if you don't mind me asking?"

I smiled.

"My friend took me on a trip to the Earth in the future!" I told the Time Lord.

"The time-travelling friend?" He asked.

I nodded enthusiastically, realizing that he thought River had taken me. But, there was no need to correct him.

"It was a bit strange when we first got there. There was blue grass and the Earth was swallowing people." I started brightly, enjoying the look on the Doctor's face.

"What?" He exclaimed.

"I was one of them." I added a bit cheerfully.

The Doctor only stared incredulously at me.

"We saved everyone in the end." I defended, sobering up. "The Silurians were put back to sleep for another thousand years so that the Earth could be ready for their arrival. In the end, one of them tried to shoot my friend. She wanted the Earth for her race only, but my friend wouldn't have it. He wanted peace."

The Doctor looked at me curiously.

"What happened to your friend?"

I sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

"I pushed him out of the way." I stated simply, letting silence fall for a moment as the scene was still fresh in my mind. "I ended up taking the shot and they left."

The Doctor's eyebrows shot up.

"They left you wounded?"

I shrugged.

"I left for here as well, even if I didn't know what I was doing at the time." I reasoned.

But the Doctor frowned.

"That doesn't make it any better." He told me.

I let out a strained laugh.

"My fiancé wasn't too keen with the idea either." I said softly. "But I'm glad they left. They can all get on with their lives."

The Doctor furrowed his brow questioningly.

"Fiancé?"

I smiled softly.

"He loved me, but I didn't love him." I said simply. "And I was going to spend my whole life like that."

We walked in silence until the corridor gave way to an enormous room.

"Oh…" I breathed in amazement, looking around at the giant walls lined with rows and rows of green pods. "What is this?"

I continued to follow Rose and the Doctor, the pair seeming to share my sentiments.

We stopped at one pod, the Doctor unlocking it with a sonic screwdriver. Slowly he opened the door to reveal a diseased man.

I covered my mouth, watching the groaning man in horror.

"That's disgusting." Rose murmured.

"What's happened to him?" I whispered, taking a step forward.

"I'm sorry." The Doctor breathed, face blank. "I'm so sorry."

The man only stared blankly ahead. His eyes were so distraught…

"Can we help him?" I asked, forcing my voice not to shake.

The Doctor only glanced sadly at me before slowly shutting the pod's door and unlocking the next one.

It was a woman this time, but still diseased.

"What disease is that?" Rose asked, obviously disgusted.

I really didn't like this woman now.

"All of them." The Doctor spoke softly. "Every single disease in the galaxy, they've been infected with everything."

"What about us?" The blonde asked. "Are we safe?"

"Yeah, sterile," The Doctor replied, eyes locked on the woman as he shut the door. "Just don't touch them."

I walked back to the edge, looking at the thousands of pods that lined the walls.

"How could this happen?" I asked faintly.

The Doctor walked up beside me, silently placing a comforting hand on my shoulder as he observed the pods as well.

"How many patients are there?" Rose asked.

The Doctor switched his grip to the bars in front of us.

"They're not patients." He stated darkly.

I could see the Oncoming Storm begin to awaken.

"But they're sick." Rose said, playing with a piece of her hair.

I only stared ahead.

"They were born sick." The Doctor told us gravely. "They were meant to be sick. They exist to be sick. Lab rats, no wonder the Sisters have a cure for everything. They made the ultimate research laboratory, a human farm."

I took a deep breath.

"Then how can we help them?" I asked the Time Lord, a determined look in my eyes.

A ghost of a smile twitched on his lips. He motioned for us to follow him.

"Why don't they just die?" Rose asked insensitively.

Yeah, I really wasn't liking this girl.

"Plague carriers…" The Doctor stated. "The last to go."

A voice interrupted us.

"It's for the greater cause."

We instantly turned to the source, the Cat-Nurse who healed me earlier.

The Doctor stepped forward.

"Novice Hame, when you took your vows, did you agree to this?"

"The Sisterhood had sworn to help." She said softly.

"By killing?!" The Doctor raised his voice.

The Oncoming Storm had arrived.

"They aren't real people." She insisted. "They're specially grown and have no proper existence."

"What's the turnover?" The Doctor asked. "A thousand a day, a thousand the next. How many thousand? How many years? How many?!"

I stood back from the seething Time Lord, remembering his anger from the Star Whale incident. This regeneration was definitely more vocal of his feelings.

"Mankind needed us." The nun tried. "They came to this planet with so many illnesses. We couldn't cope. We did try. We tried everything. We tried using clone meat and bio cattle. But the results were too slow. So the sisterhood grew their own flesh. That's all they are, flesh."

"These people are alive." The Doctor pointed to the pods.

"But think of those humans out there, healthy and happy because of us!"

"If they live because of this, then life is worthless." The Doctor stated gravely.

"But who are you to decide that?" Novice Hame questioned.

I cringed.

Wrong question…

"I'm the Doctor, and if you don't like it. If you want to take it to a higher authority, there isn't one. It stops with me."

Rose took a step forward as I shook my head. This was definitely the same Time Lord. He had the same big head and everything.

"Just to confirm, none of the humans in the city actually know about this?"

The nun sighed.

"We thought it best not-"

The Doctor stepped in again.

"Hold on," he started quickly, "I can understand the bodies. I can understand your vows. The one thing I can't is what've you done to Rose."

Rose looked at him sharply.

"I don't know what you mean." Novice Hame said, startled.

"And I'm being very, very calm. You want to beware of that very, very calm. And the only reason I'm being so very, very calm is that the brain is a delicate thing. Whatever you've done to Rose's head, I want it reversed."

"We haven't done anything." She tried.

Rose turned to the Doctor.

"I'm perfectly fine." She drawled.

The Doctor ignored her.

"These people are dying and Rose would care."

Rose rolled her eyes, stepping purposefully towards the Time Lord.

I took a step forward as well, earning a glare from the blonde.

"Stay out of this ginger." She growled quietly, taking out something from her shirt.

I didn't break my stride and continued to close in on her, making Rose sigh in displeasure.

"Nighty night!" She quipped spraying my face with the perfume bottle in her hands.

I took an involuntary breath and felt the strength drain from my limbs. It smelled like water lilies and apples and…

My eyes rolled to the back of my head and I was gone.

…

I awoke to find myself being carried again.

"What's going on…" I muttered as a panting Doctor placed me on the ground. We were in some sort of lab.

I fumbled to my feet.

"Cassandra here took over Rose's body, and now she's going to give her back." He stated darkly raising his sonic screwdriver at the blonde.

"You asked for it." Rose-Cassandra stated, eyeing the Doctor with displeasure.

The blonde breathed out a breath of pink energy at the Time Lord. The pair stumbled back.

I charged over to Rose.

"What did you do?" I growled, grabbing her arm.

The Blonde looked confused.

"Who are you?" She asked. "What happened to Cassandra?"

The sound of the Doctor's voce forced my attention from the blonde.

"Oh my," The Doctor breathed. "This is different."

"Cassandra?" Rose asked.

I looked at her in shock.

"That Cassandra person is in him now?" I asked.

Rose only nodded.

"It's me. I'm a man!" Cassandra said in wonder as she wandered around the room. "Young, so many parts, and hardly used. Oh! Two hearts! Oh baby, I'm beating out a samba."

"Get out of him!" Rose ordered.

"Hm, he's slim and a little bit foxy." The Cassandra-Doctor stated, wiggling his eyebrows. "You both think so too. I saw it inside your head."

Rose looked away from the Cassandra-Doctor as he took step closer of us. I finally let go of her arm as he turned to me.

"And you're an open book when he isn't looking. Are you sure this is the first time you've met?"

I raised an eyebrow at him.

"You've been looking. You like it." He-She cooed.

I was saved from a response as the door bust open, the diseased patients from earlier mobbing the room.

"What the hell did I miss?" I shouted as we backed away from the waves of patients.

"What would he do? The Doctor, what the hell would he do?!" Cassandra shouted, hitting my arm insistently.

I looked from side to side and spotted a ladder.

"There!" I shouted, pointing behind Rose.

"Out of the way blondie!" The Doctor-Cassandra pushed, heading up the ladder.

Rose and I clambered after him.

We climbed and climbed until our arms were burning. And after a few minutes, a door was in sight.

But, it was locked.

"Now what do we do?" The Doctor-Cassandra asked.

I glanced down at the patients below us, slowly creeping their way up the ladder. I struggled to squish the sense of panic bubbling in my stomach as Rose and he began to bicker over how to use the sonic screwdriver.

"Oi!" I interjected. "Give it here!"

The pair complied, although Rose sent me a skeptical look.

"It's a sonic screwdriver." She told me seriously.

I rolled my eyes.

"Yes," I muttered, struggling to hold on as I aimed the metal tube at the door. "Let's just hope I'm lucky."

I pressed down on the button, a familiar noise filling the air.

The door slid open.

"Thank goodness." I muttered as we clambered through the open doorway. I spun around and shut the door with another buzz.

We all sighed, leaning against the wall.

"How did you mange that?" Rose asked incredulously.

I shrugged.

"I guess I'm a natural with alien technology." I smiled, remembering the business with the Vortex manipulator.

Rose nodded as I stepped forward, slipping the sonic screwdriver into the Doctor's pocket.

"Now you," I growled, glaring at the Doctor-Cassandra. "Get out of him now."

Cassandra smiled.

"Alright."

Suddenly a bright pink light filled my vision and before I knew it, I was thrust into darkness once again.

…

Rose sighed as she watched Cassandra shift into the Ginger's body. She had no idea who the woman was, only that she was on her side apparently.

She rushed over to the Doctor who smiled when he realized that she was back to normal. However it was quickly extinguished as he recognized that the Ginger girl was standing motionless, staring into space.

"Cassandra," the Doctor growled. "This is your last warning. Get out of her."

Cassandra ignored him, still focused on the space ahead.

"Doctor…" I whispered. "What's wrong with her? Did something go wrong?"

The Doctor took a step forward, breaking the girl from her reverie.

"This girl…" Cassandra breathed, voice switching from the girl's Scottish inflection to her usual tone. "She's so lonely."

The Doctor halted in his steps.

"She can't remember her parents, although there's an aunt. But she's never around enough. It's just her in a big house waiting for her Raggedy Man…"

Cassandra snapped out of it as the patients began to bang against the door, looking up at the Doctor's noticeably softened face.

"Let's just get this over with." She growled walking past the Doctor and Rose.

….

I groaned as a pressure was relieved from my head, feeling myself fall to the side. Arms automatically enveloped me, holding my limp body up.

My eyes fluttered open to see my face inches away from the Doctor's.

"Doctor?" I asked faintly, eyes wide.

"Are you alright?" He asked concernedly.

I managed a weak nod as I gained some footing.

The Doctor grinned.

"Welcome back."

"No kidding…" I muttered as his grin grew wider.

"Oh sweet Lord, I'm a walking doodle."

I turned to see a curious man looking at his arms.

"Is that…" I began.

The Doctor nodded and turned to the man.

"You can't stay in there." The Doctor told Cassandra's new body. "I'm sorry Cassandra, but that's not fair. I can take you to the city. They can build you a skin tank and you can stand trial for what you've done."

"Is it that serious?" I asked Rose quietly.

Rose nodded.

"We've met her before." She replied. "She murdered quite a few people then."

I nodded.

"So, you're Rose?"

The blonde nodded, a hesitant smile on her face.

"Yeah, I am. And you are?"

"Amelia Pond," I responded. "I was taking a look around when I met you, or Cassandra, I guess."

Rose only nodded as Cassandra collapsed.

The Doctor steadied her body.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

I walked up to the pair and helped Cassandra sit up.

"I'm fine." She tried before staring into space. "I'm dying. But that's fine."

I looked down at her sympathetically.

"We can take you to the city." I tried. "Right, Doctor?"

The Doctor nodded as Cassandra smiled at me.

"No, you won't." She shook her head. "Everything's new on this planet. There's no place for Chip and me anymore. You're right Doctor. It's time to die."

I placed my hand comfortingly on Cassandra's shoulder.

"And that's good."

The Doctor started guiding Cassandra to her feet.

"Come on there's one last thing I can do." He said, guiding her to the elevator.

I grabbed her other arm, helping her along as we exited the hospital, eventually making our way to a familiar blue box.

My heart thudded loudly at the sight of the TARDIS.

Each step seemed to take a life time as I entered through its doors. I never thought I'd see the beautiful, time-traveling box again. But as I stood in the console room, I was unable to smother the gasp that slipped through my lips.

It was far different from the TARDIS I knew.

Letting go of Cassandra's arm as she sat down in one of the seats, I walked around, gently touching the coral struts reaching to the ceiling. The TARDIS hummed in response.

"Wow…" I muttered.

It looked so familiar, yet so different…

But before I could observe the interior any more, we were off, heading out to give Cassandra one last gift.

…

I watched the Doctor and Rose enter the TARDIS, morose, but happy all the same.

A sick feeling entered my stomach. Were they going to take me home? Looking back, I didn't do all that much. The only useful thing I did throughout this adventure was opening the door with the sonic screwdriver. That was nothing to be proud of.

The Doctor walked over, leaning against the rail next to me.

"Where're you from then?" He asked.

Knowing where this was going, I shook my head.

"You can drop me off anywhere on Earth." I told him, feeling my heart drop.

The Time Lord raised an eyebrow.

"Anywhere?" He questioned disbelievingly.

I nodded.

"I don't really feel like going home just yet." I muttered, staring at the ceiling.

The Doctor stared at me for a moment before a large grin spread over his face.

"You know," he quipped. "This ship here, the TARDIS, can travel in time and space."

My heart stopped.

"Yeah…" I said breathlessly.

"And Rose here needs a friend."

Rose tensed at the statement, looking at the Time Lord with disbelieving eyes.

"You can come along, if you like." He echoed, using my words from earlier. "Amelia Pond."

I stared at him, feeling a large burst of euphoria bubble up in my stomach.

This was going to be amazing.

* * *

**There are no words for how confusing I found it when trying to refer to Cassandra in this story. It was a combination of referring to her as female or male in the Doctor's body and specifying which body she was in. Honestly, I'm glad this is all over with. But anyways, feel free to do whatever you want! Review, Favorite, Follow... or pass on by (if you want to break my heart). **

**Thanks for the support!**

**Marietta**

**Next Time: Amy finds herself in Scotland, with a distant Rose and a fearsome creature from the fairy tales. **


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